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  1. Gaming Industry

Our highest review scores of 2015

Features
By James Davenport published 1 January 2016

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

While our Game of the Year awards trickle out, we figured it was worth taking a look at all the games that scored at least an 80% or above. Some will be familiar and some utterly foreign, which we hope will shed some light on a few underdog titles, and at the very least, drive home the point that, damn, 2015 was a damn good year for games. Over the years we might see a few of these crop up on our annual 100 best PC games list.

We ordered the list by ascending score, but keep in mind, review scores are an attempt to quantify someone’s distinct, nuanced thoughts on a game. It’s an inherently flawed process. More than anything, they’re there to summarize our overall recommendation of the game, which you can determine from the text itself, or bounce off our review score guide if you want to boil it down further. Leave the number debates outside, because all of these games are worth playing in some capacity. Instead, take the time to review the list to jot what you might have missed—or, just shed a tear for having one of the best problems you can: too many good games to play.

A note on affiliates: some of our stories, like this one, include affiliate links to stores like Amazon. These online stores share a small amount of revenue with us if you buy something through one of these links.

Page 1 of 61
Page 1 of 61

Arma 3: Marksmen

80% | Read the review

Making a major impact to every basic combat operation in Arma 3, Marksmen is a substantial and successful overhaul.

Page 2 of 61
Page 2 of 61

Cities: Skylines: After Dark

80% | Read the review | Amazon

Provides nice visuals, new buildings, and some fun options for crafting and managing your city.

Page 3 of 61
Page 3 of 61

Dirt Rally

80% | Read the review | Amazon

It's not a sim, but it's the best rally game in years.

Page 4 of 61
Page 4 of 61

Grim Fandango Remastered

80% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A confident remaster of a true classic. The puzzles have aged badly, but the sparkling humour and world design still shine.

Page 5 of 61
Page 5 of 61

Grow Home

80% | Read the review | Amazon

Phallic imagery and sore wrists don’t stop this from being uniquely charming. Definitely worth a few quid and a few hours of your time.

Page 6 of 61
Page 6 of 61

Invisible Inc.

80% | Read the review

Engrossing tension between empowerment and disempowerment, greed and fear, across an eminently replayable system.

Page 7 of 61
Page 7 of 61

Resident Evil HD Remaster

80% | Read the review

A brilliant, brutal survival horror dripping in atmosphere. It’s from the oldest of schools, but still offers a rewarding challenge.

Page 8 of 61
Page 8 of 61

Satellite Reign

80% | Read the review

Satisfyingly freeform missions and rich systems to play with, set in one of the prettiest cyberpunk cities on PC.

Page 9 of 61
Page 9 of 61

SOMA

80% | Read the review

A masterpiece of audio and visual design, SOMA is atmospheric, cerebral, and occasionally frustrating.

Page 10 of 61
Page 10 of 61

Sunless Sea

80% | Read the review

Wonderful writing resting on top of infirm foundations. Almost a classic, Sunless Sea falls a few leagues short of its final destination.

Page 11 of 61
Page 11 of 61

The Swindle

80% | Read the review

An immensely satisfying mix of platforming, stealth, action, and resource management, with character.

Page 12 of 61
Page 12 of 61

Technobabylon

80% | Read the review

An old school point-and-click adventure with a captivating story, strong characters, and a rich, well-realised sci-fi setting.

Page 13 of 61
Page 13 of 61

World of Warships

80% | Read the review

World of Warships is Wargaming’s finest vehicle combat game, but its free-to-play model is getting prohibitively expensive.

Page 14 of 61
Page 14 of 61

Endless Legend: Guardians

81% | Read the review

A strong if familiar set of additions to a classy 4X game.

Page 15 of 61
Page 15 of 61

Kalimba

81% | Read the review

Kalimba is a beautiful, cheerful platformer that finds a neat middle ground between reflex-oriented running and taxing puzzle solving.

Page 16 of 61
Page 16 of 61

Grey Goo

82% | Read the review

Two very similar factions dull its edge, but Grey Goo’s old-school take on strategy still makes it one of the most interesting new RTS games in

Page 17 of 61
Page 17 of 61

Replay: VHS is not Dead

82% | Read the review

Occasionally punishing, but still a fun, time-bending, mind-rending platformer.

Page 18 of 61
Page 18 of 61

Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings

82% | Read the review

Casual and silly yet still tense and exciting. It's a shame there's no online multiplayer.

Page 19 of 61
Page 19 of 61

Tales of Zestiria

82% | Read the review

It’s got nothing on Final Fantasy at its best, but it’s still an excellent example of the genre with some fun twists on RPG traditions.

Page 20 of 61
Page 20 of 61

Victor Vran

82% | Read the review

A limp story and weak jokes are worth putting up with for Victor Vran’s great combat system.

Page 21 of 61
Page 21 of 61

The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone

82% | Read the review | Amazon

A satisfying, self-contained adventure that plays to the series' strengths, but doesn't add anything novel outside of its storytelling.

Page 22 of 61
Page 22 of 61

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China

83% | Read the review | Amazon

A stripped down stealth offering that reinvigorates Assassin's Creed by putting attention back on the sneaky stuff.

Page 23 of 61
Page 23 of 61

Evolve

83% | Read the review | Amazon

A refreshingly asymmetrical FPS with terrific competitive depth, but the thrill of the hunt eventually begins to wane.

Page 24 of 61
Page 24 of 61

Football Manager 2016

83% | Read the review | Amazon

Still untouchable on the footy front—but shelf life and that inconsistent 3D engine chip away at its tender achilles.

Page 25 of 61
Page 25 of 61

Project Cars

83% | Read the review

Beautiful, bold and varied. Slightly Mad are uncompromising in their simulation.

Page 26 of 61
Page 26 of 61

Total War: Atilla

83% | Read the review | Amazon

A barbarous twist on Rome II, with a handful of fixes.

Page 27 of 61
Page 27 of 61

Westerado: Double Barreled

83% | Read the review

Gunfighting can become a key-mashing hassle, but otherwise it's a very enjoyable western adventure.

Page 28 of 61
Page 28 of 61

Heroes of the Storm

84% | Read the review

The most any studio has done to open up a complex genre to a new audience. Inviting, entertaining, and deceptively deep.

Page 29 of 61
Page 29 of 61

Axiom Verge

85% | Read the review

A massive, challenging retro-flavoured shooter that takes the Metroid formula and runs with it. Old school, but with a modern edge.

Page 30 of 61
Page 30 of 61

Mushroom 11

85% | Read the review

Both genuinely original and a smart physics puzzler, but aggravating in places, Mushroom 11 falls a few inches short of a classic.

Page 31 of 61
Page 31 of 61

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns

85% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A great expansion, and a promising sign of things to come. Issues aside, Heart of Thorns is a clever addition to one of the best MMOs around.

Page 32 of 61
Page 32 of 61

Cities: Skylines

86% | Read the review | Amazon

A handful of flaws, but this fun and addictive city-builder still climbs high.

Page 33 of 61
Page 33 of 61

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

86% | Read the review

An exercise in heavenly multitasking that’s exhilarating alone but better with a friend.

Page 34 of 61
Page 34 of 61

Else Heart.Break()

86% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A beautiful adventure with heart, humour, and satisfying hacking puzzles you can enjoy even if you don’t know anything about coding.

Page 35 of 61
Page 35 of 61

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

87% | Read the review

A hugely enjoyable addition to the world of Eorzea with plenty of room to spread your wings and explore

Page 36 of 61
Page 36 of 61

Frozen Cortex

87% | Read the review

There’s a lot to parse, but understanding the nuances of Frozen Cortex reveals a deep strategic experience.

Page 37 of 61
Page 37 of 61

Galactic Civilizations 3

87% | Read the review

More of a refresh than expected, but still hands down the best modern way to conquer unknown space.

Page 38 of 61
Page 38 of 61

Titan Souls

87% | Read the review

One singular great idea is the foundation for a smart and occasionally thrilling action puzzler.

Page 39 of 61
Page 39 of 61

Chaos Reborn

87% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A true wizard’s wheeze, and a fine return for one of gaming’s oldest tactical classics.

Page 40 of 61
Page 40 of 61

Crypt of the NecroDancer

87% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A beautifully designed, tough, and cheerful roguelike that rewards perseverance with a singular feeling of finesse.

Page 41 of 61
Page 41 of 61

Ori and the Blind Forest

87% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

Challenging and gorgeous, Ori is a classic platforming genre modernized and done strikingly well. Use a controller and save often.

Page 42 of 61
Page 42 of 61

Prison Architect

87% | Read the review | Chris Livingston’s Personal Pick

A complex, challenging, and grimly satisfying simulator.

Page 43 of 61
Page 43 of 61

Rocket League

87% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Best Multiplayer of 2015

Rocket League is fast, fun and relentlessly enjoyable. The best football game without feet.

Page 44 of 61
Page 44 of 61

Fallout 4

88% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A brilliant, massive sandbox of systems, albeit largely the same one Bethesda has been making for years.

Page 45 of 61
Page 45 of 61

Galak-Z

88% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

Challenging but immaculately calibrated controls power an exciting and enormously rewarding sci-fi roguelike.

Page 46 of 61
Page 46 of 61

Tales from the Borderlands

89% | Read the review | Amazon

Tales from the Borderlands is a big, funny adventure with great characters—worth playing even if you don't like Borderlands.

Page 47 of 61
Page 47 of 61

Her Story

90% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

An atmospheric, captivating crime thriller with an interactive story that unravels differently for every player.

Page 48 of 61
Page 48 of 61

Nuclear Throne

90% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A crowning achievement for Vlambeer, and one of the finest action-roguelikes ever made.

Page 49 of 61
Page 49 of 61

Rainbow Six Siege

90% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

Rainbow Six Siege is an accessible and deeply satisfying shooter that rewards planning and teamwork over a quick trigger finger.

Page 50 of 61
Page 50 of 61

Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide

90% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

Vermintide is a brilliant twist on the Left 4 Dead formula, and deserves much of the same praise heaped on Valve.

Page 51 of 61
Page 51 of 61

80 Days

91% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

One of the best story-driven games on PC, 80 Days is beautifully written, effortlessly charming, and thrillingly unpredictable.

Page 52 of 61
Page 52 of 61

Out of the Park Baseball 16

91% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

The most comprehensive sports sim going, and one that delivers fresh twists on old school, text-based systems Buy it.

Page 53 of 61
Page 53 of 61

Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void

91% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A brilliant strategy game that manages to be both broad and deep, challenging and accessible.

Page 54 of 61
Page 54 of 61

Undertale

91% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review

A hilarious JRPG romp with far more than laughs on its side.

Page 55 of 61
Page 55 of 61

Grand Theft Auto 5

92% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A sandbox of extraordinary scope created with a masterful attention to detail. A patchy campaign doesn't spoil this wonderful, evocative city.

Page 56 of 61
Page 56 of 61

Homeworld Remastered

92% | Read the review | Tom Senior’s Personal Pick | Amazon

A worthy upgrade to one of the best strategy games ever, featuring the best space battles in the business.

Page 57 of 61
Page 57 of 61

Pillars of Eternity

92% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A deep, rich, and wonderfully written RPG that lives up to the towering legacy of the games that inspired it.

Page 58 of 61
Page 58 of 61

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

92% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Best Singleplayer of 2015 | Amazon

A big, beautiful, sprawling action RPG full of rich stories, and suffused with an oppressive darkness.

Page 59 of 61
Page 59 of 61

Metal Gear Solid 5

93% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Game of the Year 2015 | Amazon

A generous stealth sandbox masterpiece that'll delight both new and existing fans of Metal Gear.

Page 60 of 61
Page 60 of 61

Kerbal Space Program

96% (Editor’s Choice) | Read the review | Amazon

A perfect blend of science and slapstick, and a robust and compelling sandbox of possibility. Simply outstanding.

Page 61 of 61
Page 61 of 61
James Davenport
James Davenport
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James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles. 

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